Amusement device



Dec. 15, 1925. 1,565,669

H. E. OREILLY AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed NOV. 2, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES HARRY E. OREILLY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Application filed November 2, 1923. Serial No. 672,360.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY E. OREILLY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specifica tion.

This invention relates to a game device where numerical numbers are the prime factors in a game and has for one of its bjeots to "produce a device which is revoluble in character so that the numbers thereon or other designations will be caused to travel in a circuitous path past a stationary indicating point, whereby the leading or winning number will be determined when the momentum of the revoluble body ceases, the winning number being the number which stops at the pointer or indicator.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a device of this character which may be readily revolved by the thumb and fingers of the person playing the game, the device being so mounted as to be relieved of friction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game device of this character which is simple in construction, efficient in purpose, ornamental in desi and which can be manufactured and S01 upon the market at a nominal cost.

These and'other objects will more fully appear and the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description, the subject matter of the claims and the views illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of one form of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side view of another form of the invention,

Fig. 4 is a top view of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view showing the manner of pivotally mounting the structure of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes the base or block of the device which may be of rectangular formation or circular as shown, the block or base being adapted to be suit-- ably secured to a table or other support through the medium of the thumb screws 2 which are adapted to pass through suitable openings 3 in the base or block 1 and enter the upper surface of'a table or other suitable support 4. Or, the device may simply rest of its weight on the table or support 4, with the screws acting as leveling means only.

Secured upon the base 1 through the medium of the bolts 5 are the feet of the arms (5, which may be of any desired number, the upper ends of the arms 6 being secured to a cylindrical housing 7 at the outer side thereof by the rivets 8 or other suitable securing means. The housing 7 is provided with a ball raceway 9 in which are a plurality of antifriction balls 10, the balls 10 being retained in operative position within the raceway 9 by the retaining bushing or collar 11 suitably secured upon the housing 7. Positioned upon the base 1 immediately beneath the housing 7 is .a bearing block 12 also provided with a ball raceway 13 in which are mounted a plurality of anti-friction balls 14, the balls 14 being likewise retained in the raceway 13 of the block 12 bv the retaining bushing or collar 15. Revdlubly mounted in the bearing block 12 is the lower end of the stem 16 provided with the reduced portion 17 which revolves between the balls 14, whilst the shoulder 18 rides upon the balls 14. The stem 16 projects upwardly through the housing 7 and bushing 11 and between the anti-friction balls 10 and for a distance above the housing 7.

Suitably secured upon the upper end of the stem 16 is the lower pointed end of the conoidal or t0p-shaped body 19 provided at its upper central portion with the knob or finger-hold 20 through which the body 19 may be readily rotated by the thumb and fingers of a person. At the greatest circumference of the body 19 and surrounding the same at this point is a band 21 which encircles this portion of the body. The band 21 may be a metal band which is preferably seated in a shallow annular groove 21" formed in the surface of the body 19 and suitably secured upon the outer face of the band 21 at equispaced intervals are transversely disposed ribs or bars 22, the bars 22 projecting outwardly from the band 21 in a substantially radial direction. The spaces between the ribs 22 and the upper and lower edges of the band 21 provide blocks 23 in which are placed suitable numbers or characters 24. Suitably secured upon one of the legs 6 of the spider-like member by the bolts 25 or like fastening means is an upwardly and outwardly obliquely extending arm or rod 26 having secured upon its upper end by the screw or bolt 27 the inwardly directed spring finger 28, the inner end of which is adapted to contact with the outer edges of the ribs 22 when the body 19 is revolved.

From the foregoing, the operation of the device should be understood, but it is thought expedient to briefly describe the use and operation of the invention as follows:

hen playing a game and it is desirous of attaining a winning number or a winning total of the sum of certain numbers, a player will grasp the knob 20 with his thumb and fingers and give the body a quick spin, preferably to the right, whereupon the body will spin for a considerable time due to its freedom in revolving by the same being mounted in the anti-friction bearings upon the stand 1. The body 19 continues to revolve with the spring finger 28 gently brushing the outer edges of the ribs 22, whereby when the momentum of the body 19 is spent a bar 22 will be retained by the spring finger 28 and the number of the block that stops opposite the spring finger 28 will be the successful number and this number may be represented by a paddle, card or other like object bearing a corresponding number and the person holding the number corresponding to the number indicated by the spinning of the device will be regarded as the winner of the article or whatever is designated upon the paddle, card or like object. Persons may adopt a number as the winning number and this number would require a number of spins of the device until sufiicient numbers may be attained, the sum of which will equal the winning number chosen.

WVhilst I have stated that the body 19 is provided with an annular groove in which is seated the band 21, I may dispense with the groove and apply the band to the body 19 by subjecting the band to suitable heat for expanding the same and applying it to the body and allowing the same to cool, whereby the band will be retained in position upon the body 19 by contraction, the operation being similar to the manner of applying tires to wheels. However, I may dispense with the groove 21 and the metal band 21 and in lieu thereof provide the body 19 with a fiat annular surface in place of the groove and apply the numerals 24 thereon in any suitable manner, the ribs 22, in this instance, instead of being secured upon the band 21 will have their inner edges provided with suitable spurs or prongs adapted to be driven into the body 19 in their same positions relative to the annular surface for dividing the numerals from each other in the manner now shown in the drawings.

The device illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 is similar to the above described device with the exceptions of minor detail differences in the construction thereof and which comprises a base 31 provided with a centrally disposed upstanding nib or projection 32 and extending downwardly through the nib 32 and into the base 31 is an internally threaded bore 33 (see Fig.- 5). Threaded into the bore 33 is an externally threaded tubular bushing or thimble 34 formed with the annular ring or head During the operation of threading the bushing 34 into the bore 33, the bushing 34 is inserted through the apertured base or foot 36 of the outward obliquely extending rod 37, the foot 36 being retained in operative position upon the upper surface of the nib or projection 32 by the downward force of the head 35 of the bushing 34 when the latter is screwed home in the threaded bore 33.

Revolubly mounted in the bushing 34 is a shaft or plug 38 preferably formed of metal, the shaft or plug 38 being provided with a pointed end 39 to eliminate friction when the plug 38 is revolved in the bushing 34 which also provides a bearing for the plug 38. The plug 38 is elongated and has its upper end projecting for a distance above the head 35 of the bushing 36, and suitably mounted upon the projecting end of the plug 38 is the lower pointed end of the substantially conoidal or top-shaped body member 40 provided with a knob or finger-hold 41 designed to be grasped by the thumb and fingers of a person for revolving the body member 40.

At the major diameter and greatest circumference of the conoidal body member 40 is formed the annular or circumferential surface or band 42 upon which is suitably applied the equi-spaced numerals or other indicia 43 and positioned between the numerals 43 are the radially projecting members 44 which are preferably round-headed tacks or suitable small nails or the like, whose pointed ends are driven radially into the body 46, the heads of the members 44 being adapted to brush against the pointer or spring finger 45 during the revolution of the body 40, the finger 45 being secured to the upper end of rod or bar 37 through the medium of the screw 46 or other securing means.

The operation and use of this form of the invention are identical with that of the other form as above set forth, and I may form the various parts of the construction of any desired and suitable material or materials.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character specified, the combination with a base, bearing supports upon said base, a shaft revolubly mounted in said bearing supports, a conoidal gyratory member upon said shaft, numerals upon the major circumference of said gyratory member, an arm upon said base, a pointer carried by the upper end of said arm for co-action with said numerals, and a knob upon said gyratory member for actuating the same by the thumb and fingers of a person.

2. In a device of the character specified, the combination with a base, bearing supports upon said base, a shaft revolubly mounted in said bearing supports, a conoidal gyratory member upon said shaft, numerals upon the major circumference of said gyratory member, radial members dividing said numerals, an outward obliquely extending arm upon said base, a pointer carried by the upper end of said arm for co-action with said radial members, and a knob upon said gyratory member for actuating the sameby the thumb and fingers of a person.

3. An amusement device comprising a base having bearings, a gyratory member having a shaft supported by said bearings, said member being provided with a series of indications and radial members dividing said indications, an arm on said base and having a pointer adapted to engage said radial members, and manual engaging means on said gyratory member for actuating the same.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

HARRY E. OREILLY. 

